Bio

Jacob Hales is in his second season as an assistant coach at Willamette University in 2020-21. He is the Bearcats' defensive line coach and special teams coordinator. He also serves as the academic success coordinator for the Bearcats. Prior to joining the Willamette coaching staff, Hales was an assistant coach at Lewis & Clark College.

He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) football team from 2010 through the spring of 2013. He was an assistant coach for the defensive line at Lewis & Clark in 2013. He was a co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Lewis & Clark in the spring of 2014. He was the defensive line coach at L&C from 2015 through 2018.

While at L&C, he coached two-time All-Northwest Conference selection Andrew Werst in the defensive line. Werst led the NWC in forced fumbles. He also coached Cam Chang when he was the NWC Rookie of he Year.

He coached three future National Football League players at UTEP. Horace Miller played for the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks, while Jame Davidson played for the New York Giants. Roy Robertson has played for the Chicago Bears.

Hales played football at Las Vegas High School in Nevada. He continued to play football at Southern Utah University as a defensive lineman in 2001, at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas and as a defensive lineman and tight end from 2005 through 2008. he was a three-year starter as a defensive lineman at UNLV. He registered 86 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss and six quarterback sacks.  During his senior year, he received the Tom Wiesner Award for displaying courage, enthusiasm, dedication and toughness.

He was a quality student-athlete at UNLV and earned Mountain West Academic All-Conference honors all four years. He was chosen First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2006 and was named Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2007.

Hales received a bachelor's degree in University Studies, with an emphasis in Spanish and Physical Education, from UNLV in 2008. He currently lives in Salem.